Darlington 5 Peterborough Sports 2

Rutledge 8 mins 1-0, McGowan 15 mins 2-0, Wood 17 mins, 2-1, Rutledge 30 mins 3-1, Lees 35 mins, 4-1, Jarvis 52 mins, 4-2, Cornish 90+2 mins, 5-2

Darlington climbed up to ninth place, just two points below play offs, with a good 5-2 home win over Peterborough.

Quakers were well on top in the first half and led 4-1, before a floodlight failure stopped the game. But an inspection by the referee ruled that play could continue with one light off, but then the floodlight in question came back on.

Aidan Rutledge scored twice in the first half to give him five goals in the last four games, with Will McGowan and Toby Lees also scoring before half time, and Matty Cornish came on as sub and finished the scorin in the last minute.

Here are the goals:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vF8LB7fnvDI

and here are Steve's post match thoughts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6oO7k-b2Ok

Quakers took the lead on 8 minutes. A slick passing move on the left involving four players ended with Will McGowan finding Charlie Lennon, who pulled the ball back for Aidan Rutledge to sidefoot home his fifth goal of the season, and his fourth goal in as many games.

Quakers were then awarded a free kick for a foul on Rutledge, but Charlie Lennon curled the ball wide of the left hand post from 25 yards out.

The score was 2-0 on 15 minutes. A long clearance by returning keeper Pete Jameson was controlled by Rutledge and he rolled the ball to the advancing McGowan, who ran into the area and fired left footed across Sam Edwards into the net, his third league goal of the season.

But within two minutes, Peterborough pulled a goal back, when Aaron Powell intercepted a crossfield pass, ran into the area, saw his shot parried by Jameson, and Connor Wood bundled the ball home.

Quakers won a corner on the right on 24 minutes after Rutledge’s shot was deflected wide, but the Peterborough defence headed the ball away.

They forced three more corners without success, before Barrow crossed low from the left for Lennon to volley wide from ten yards.

They were awarded a penalty on 30 minutes when Rutledge broke into the area and was brought down by Edwards, and Rutledge picked himself up to confidently strike the penalty into the top right corner.

It was 4-1 on 35 minutes when McGowan curled a corner into the six yard area where the keeper failed to hold the ball, and Maskell helped the ball on for Toby Lees to turn home.

There then followed a 27 minute break for a floodlight failure, but play resumed until half time.

Half time: Darlington 4 Peterborough Sports 1

After half time, Peterborough pushed forward and they pulled a goal back on 52 minutes when Dan Jarvis scored with an effort from outside the box.

Quakers responded when Max Howells played the ball into the box for McGowan to turn quickly and just miss the target with his effort.

Then Lennon crossed brilliantly from the left to the far post where Maskell’s close range effort was turned round the post by Edwards.

Lennon again caused chaos on the left, and when the ball came across to Howells, the Boro loanee fired across the face of goal and just past the far post.

Tom Allan came on for Lennon on 67 minutes, and he had a chance when he raced into the Sports box, but a defender just managed to get in a challenge.

Cedric Main and Ellis Stanton then came on for Will McGowan and Jack Maskell on 74 minutes.

Peterborough went close again through Jarvis, but Jameson saved, and at the other end sub Cedric Main forced Edwards to his knees with a low shot.

Matty Cornish then came on for two goal Rutledge on 80 minutes, and right at the end, he ran through on the end of a good ball by Main and scored at the second attempt.

Final score: Darlington 5 Peterborough Sports 2

Jameson, Hedley, Lees, Barrow, Platt, McLoughlin, Howells, Lennon (sub Allan 67), McGowan (sub Stanton 74), Rutledge (sub Cornish 80), Maskell (sub Main 74)

Subs: Cornish,McGrath, Scott

Booking: McLaughlin, Howells